10 Side Gigs That Can Make You Rich

Earning extra money on the side can be easy when you know what types of opportunities to look for. Whether you want to pay off student loan debt, start saving for a big-ticket purchase or build up a fund for the future, finding one of the best side jobs out there is a great way to reach your goal.

Side jobs are part-time positions that offer job holders the flexibility needed to earn extra money while working full time in other roles. In order to be qualified by GOBankingRates as one of the highest-paid side jobs, positions had to earn at least twice the average hourly rate in the U.S. — $25.53 as of April 2016.

1. City Guide Writer

Average Salary: $50 to $100/project

If you love your city and have a passion for writing, a side gig as a city guide writer might be ideal. According to Business Insider, real estate and tourism businesses often hire local writers to craft city and neighborhood guides. As a city guide writer, you would provide a unique local perspective on the city, statistics about population demographics and insider tips for shopping, recreation, culture, entertainment, activities, public transportation and more.

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2. Lawn Care Professional

Average Salary: $55/hour

Sign up as a vendor with GreenPal, a lawn care service and app that CEO Bryan Clayton describes as “Uber for lawn care,” and make money on the side mowing lawns.

“Many of our lawn care vendors are part-timers — some are firemen, some are teachers that use our app in the summer to make extra money; others are college students that work afternoons and weekends, and it is the perfect way for them to make extra money,” Clayton said. “Our average vendor makes around $55 per hour mowing lawns on our system.”

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3. Wedding Officiant

Average Salary: $300 to $500/wedding

If you love attending weddings and speaking in public, consider a side gig as a wedding officiant. Start by officiating weddings for friends and family members to develop your style. Then check your state and local requirements for setting up a business as a wedding officiant. Once you’re ready to work, spread the word among your social network to book dates.

You can also search online for local or specialized wedding officiant registries based on your location and area of expertise. According to The Penny Hoarder website, you can hope to make $300 or more for a single wedding.

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4. Fashion Consultant

Average Salary: $50 to $500/hour

Fashionsitas with an eye for current trends might be able to find side jobs as fashion consultants for high-end shoppers. Some clients are willing to pay top dollar for fashion help and will even ask their personal shoppers to select entire wardrobes for different seasons.

As a fashion consultant, you’ll meet with clients to discover their likes, dislikes, personalities and style goals. According to The Art Career Project, savvy stylers can earn anywhere from $50 to $500 per hour for their work.

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5. Focus Group or Research Study Participant

Average Salary: $100/project

Earn extra cash simply by giving your opinion as part of a focus group or research study. In a focus group, you might be shown a presentation about a certain product or service, while a research study often requires you to perform tasks or take a quiz.

You’ll have to provide certain demographic details about yourself in order to participate. However, for very little effort and time, you could earn $100 or more, according to The College Investor. You can find opportunities for this gig at FindFocusGroups.com.

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6. Website or App Developer

Average Salary: $75 to $150/hour

If you’ve ever built your own website or app, or simply love playing with code in your downtime, this might be the best side job for you. According to Inc.com, freelance coders and web designers can make anywhere from $75 to $150 per hour. Plus, you can take advantage of myriad free online design tools and software to get the job done faster.

7. Referee

Average Salary: $56/game

If you love watching sports on TV, you might want to consider becoming a referee for local teams. Turn your passion into extra income by serving as a ref or umpire for high school, little league or even adult social league sports. Because most games take place on nights or weekends, it’s easy to accommodate a full-time job schedule.

For high school varsity sports, you can expect to earn an average of $56 per game, according to Inc.com.

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8. TaskRabbit

Average Salary: Set Your Own Rates

Become a TaskRabbit and earn money by completing everyday errands and tasks for people in your area. All it takes is a visit to TaskRabbit.com, where you can select tasks you are willing to accomplish. After getting matched with individuals requesting service, you can proceed to doing the job — and getting paid.

When you pick a task, the website will show you hourly rates for the most qualified taskers. You will then be able to set your own price. All jobs require a minimum time commitment of one hour, and payments are made securely online. According to Time’s profile of elite taskers, TaskRabbits have been paid up to $70 an hour to fold shirts, $65 an hour for heavy lifting and $80 for moving services.

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9. Frequent Flyer Specialist

Average Salary: $60/project

The side gig of frequent flyer specialist is perfect for those who travel often and understand how to maximize frequent flyer miles to receive the best deals. If this sounds like you, consider using your skills to help other travelers plan their itineraries. Experienced frequent flyer specialists can charge clients up to $60 for planning just one itinerary, according to Inc.com.

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10. Clinical Trial or Medical Testing Participant

Average Salary: $400 to $2,000/trial

Scientists are always searching for volunteers to participate in clinical trials and medical testing for new vaccines, medications and treatments. Not all trials pay, but many do compensate participants as a recruitment incentive.

Still, individuals should realize that they are participating at their own risk. According to an article in the International Business Times, the FDA warns that “financial incentives are most often used when health benefits to subjects are remote or nonexistent.”

You can find medical testing opportunities online at ClinicalTrials.gov.

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